From subject matter to execution, photography shapes your brand’s image and plays a key role in the success of your marketing materials. So, if you’re on a DIY photography budget, follow these tips for stronger marketing photography.
Shooting on a Smart Phone
Don’t have a professional camera, or even a basic one? You can still get great images with smart phones.
Like so many things, the end result is improved through planning and prep:
Use Portrait mode. (Note: Some models may call this Bokeh mode or Live Focus.) The primary advantage to this mode is that it blurs the background so the subject is most in focus, resulting in a more professional look. Depending on the brand and model of your phone, Portrait mode usually has extra tools for controlling background blur amount, lighting, and more.
Plan to take multiple photos of the same subject. Taking more shots than you think you’ll need is a good rule of thumb for any type of photography: It’s always better to have more to choose from than to feel stuck with one or two.
Set the stage. Get a sense of where you’ll shoot. Think about where the subject will be, what’s behind them, and where the lighting will be coming from. Speaking of. . .
Lighting
Lighting is the key to good photography.
Outdoors
Overcast days can sometimes be better for photography because the light is diffused—this softer light is great for portraits.
On sunny days, keep an eye on high-contrast shadows and glares. They can obscure or distract from the focal point if you’re not careful.
Indoors
Photographing indoors may require extra lighting. If no professional lighting equipment is accessible, you can try gooseneck lamps, floor or table lamps, ring lights—whatever you might already have on hand. Be mindful of shadows, glares, and reflections as you introduce lighting.
If your lighting isn’t working and more light isn’t an option, try moving to another spot or changing angles.
If it still doesn’t work, it may be time to consider a different photoshoot location (or a different date if outdoors).
Composition
Composition refers to how the subject is presented in the frame of the image—in relation to everything else also in frame. Try to see the photoshoot environment with fresh eyes. What do you want viewers to see? Asking this question can help you pick up on subtle details that may not stand out until you’re looking at the photo later on. Here are some fundamentals to consider on your shoot:
Make sure the primary subject is roughly in the middle of the photo frame to avoid shots with no focal point or awkward crops.
Don’t zoom in too tightly. Give yourself room to crop it later in editing. (For more information on standard crop ratios, see our resource on selecting featured images.)
Pay attention to what’s going on in the background and details of your surrounding environment: Make sure what surrounds your subject isn't distracting from the focal point or obscuring the view.
Whether you’re outdoors or indoors, you may need to tidy up the environment to make your shot look thoughtful and planned.
Keep people face-forward in the shot. When honing in on a subject, make sure everyone’s facing forward instead of away from the camera. Side angles are also fine.
Check your photos during the shoot to confirm your shot angles aren’t disorienting or hovering over the subject as if the viewer is falling forward. To prevent this, aim to align the subject to the horizon line.
Take horizontal and vertical compositions of the same subject. Websites often require horizontal shots, whereas print materials may need more of a variety. Multiple orientations will ultimately provide more design flexibility.
Style
For marketing photography, you don’t have to break the mold with artistic vision. Rather, think about what you want the shot to communicate with your audience. If your subject is clearly presented and the lighting and composition are good, then you’ve got a usable shot for materials.
Whenever possible, the colors featured in the image should be reflective of your brand color palette. When in doubt, aim for colorful with good contrast for broad appeal.
When photographing people, we strongly recommend being intentional about inclusivity: More people will be able to relate to your brand if they see themselves reflected in its marketing.
File Size
When sharing images to anyone working on your marketing materials, send the largest size possible unless otherwise requested. Bigger files mean the photo is more likely to be high enough quality for print, and offer more flexibility for designs viewed on screen.
For more tips on file size, check out our other resource: Picking the Right File for Print or Screen.
Not getting enough value out of your current photo kit? Whether you’d like to tap us in for a consulting or photography gig, our team will be ready to roll. Give us a few details to get started.
